Active Pursuits

Skiing & Other Winter Sports

Crested Butte may be Colorado's best-kept secret. Situated at the intersection of two overlapping winter storm tracks, it's guaranteed to have outstanding snow. Offering abundant opportunities for beginners and intermediate skiers, Crested Butte also has what many experts consider the most challenging runs in the Rockies.

The resort has 1,167 acres of skiable terrain. Altogether, trails are rated 23% beginner, 57% intermediate, and 20% advanced. The vertical drop is 3,062 feet from a summit of 12,162 feet. There are 121 trails served by 16 lifts (four high-speed quads, two fixed-grip quads, two triples, three doubles, three surface lifts, and two Magic Carpet rolling conveyors). Average annual snowfall is 240 inches, and there's snow making on trails served by all but two of the resort's lifts. The resort also has an easily accessible snowboard terrain park and superpipe, and offers snowboarding lessons.

Crested Butte offers both a ski and snowboard program (plus year-round recreation) for visitors with disabilities, with specially trained and certified instructors, at the Adaptive Sports Center, located at the base of the ski area in the Treasury Center Building. The resort's Kid's Ski & Snowboard World provides lessons, day care, and nursery services. (Don't forget to keep an eye out for Bubba and Betty Bear, the beloved mascots of Crested Butte Mountain Resort, who will gladly stop for a warm, fuzzy hug and a picture.) Private and group lessons are available in half- or all-day packages. The resort offers rentals of skis, snowboards, helmets, snowshoes, ski boards, and telemark equipment, in single and multiday prices, with overnight storage included. A full-service repair shop is available also. All children 12 and under who participate in lessons are required to wear a helmet (included in the lesson price and available at the rental shop). Equipment rental is also available at several other shops in the base area and around town.

For more information, contact Crested Butte Mountain Resort, 12 Snowmass Rd. (P.O. Box 5700), Mt. Crested Butte, CO 81225 (tel. 800/810-7669 or 970/349-2222, 888/442-8883 or 970/349-2323 for snow reports; www.skicb.com). Full-day regular-season lift tickets are $82 for adults, $47 for seniors 65 and older, $74 for youths 13 to 17, and $41 for children 7 to 12. Early-season lift tickets are less; kids under 7 are free all season long. The resort is usually open from mid-November to early April daily from 9am to 4pm.

Cross-Country Skiing, Snowshoeing, Sledding & Ice Skating -- The Crested Butte Nordic Center, based at Big Mine Park, Second Street and Whiterock Avenue in downtown Crested Butte (P.O. Box 1269), CO 81224 (tel. 970/349-1707; www.cbnordic.org), maintains 26 miles of marked and groomed trails and organizes backcountry tours over more than 100 miles of wilderness trails. It's open in winter daily from 9am to 4pm. A 1-day trail pass costs about $15, with discounts for children and seniors. Nordic ski rentals (skis, boots, and poles) cost $20 per day for adults and $15 for children. The center also maintains several warming huts, a free lighted ice-skating rink, and a free sledding hill, plus skate and sled rentals. In addition, it offers snowshoe tours and rentals.

Warm-Weather Sports & Outdoor Activities

This is rugged country, surrounded by Gunnison National Forest, three wilderness areas, and towering 12,000- to 14,000-foot peaks. For maps and tips on the many activities available, contact the Gunnison Ranger District office at 216 N. Colorado St. in Gunnison (tel. 970/641-0471; www.fs.fed.us/r2).

The lifts at Crested Butte Mountain Resort don't stop just because the snow's gone, but operate daily from late June through early September for hikers or those who simply want to enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery without effort. Single trips cost $15 for adults, $8 for children 7 to 17 and seniors 65 and older; all-day passes cost $20 and $12, respectively. Kids 6 and younger ride free.

Golf -- The 18-hole course at The Club at Crested Butte, 2 miles south of Crested Butte off Colo. 135 (tel. 970/349-6131; www.crestedbutte.com), is one of Colorado's best mountain courses. It's usually open from mid-May through October. The fee for 18 holes, including the mandatory cart, is $95 to $135 in summer, lower in the off season.

Hiking -- There are practically unlimited opportunities for hiking and backpacking in the Crested Butte area. Some of the best are in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area, accessible from a trail head at Gothic, above Mt. Crested Butte, where you can hike to Aspen if properly motivated. Another good trail is located off Cement Creek Road: The Farris Creek Trail (aka the Caves Trail) takes hikers up to a great vantage point of some cavelike geological formations and a great view of the area's original and long-closed ski resort. Ask the chamber of commerce for other trail suggestions, or contact the Gunnison National Forest office .

Horseback Riding -- Guided rides are offered year-round by Fantasy Ranch Horseback Adventures, P.O. Box 236, Crested Butte, CO 81224 (tel. 888/688-3488 or 970/349-5425; www.fantasyranchoutfitters.com), ranging from 1 1/2 hours to weeklong pack trips. Trips go into three different mountain wilderness areas, at elevations from 7,000 feet to 12,700 feet, including the incredibly beautiful Maroon Bells. Prices per person are $55 for the 1 1/2-hour ride and $85 for a 3-hour ride.

Mountain Biking -- One of the towns that lays claim to the sport's invention, Crested Butte has established a firm reputation as the place to mountain-bike in Colorado. From single-track trails to jeep roads, there's something here to please every ability level. Among local shops where you can get trail information, maps, and mountain-bike rentals (from about $40 per day), I recommend Flatiron Sports (tel. 800/821-4331 or 970/349-6656; www.flatironsports.net), in the Treasury Center at Mt. Crested Butte, as well as Crested Butte Sports (tel. 800/301-9169 or 970/349-7516; www.crestedbuttesports.com) and The Alpineer (tel. 800/847-0244 or 970/349-5210; www.alpineer.com), in the town of Crested Butte.

Popular choices include the Strand Hill route, which runs for 18 miles and is considered intermediate. It climbs to 10,255 feet elevation, through wooded areas, and includes several miles on downhill single-track. Advanced mountain bikers will love Trail No. 401, one of the best trails in the area. This 26-mile round-trip route climbs to 11,500 feet and offers incredible mountain scenery, including views of the magnificent Maroon Bells, as it passes through aspen groves and meadows of wildflowers.

Guided mountain-bike tours are offered by Crested Butte Mountain Guides, 416 Sopris Ave. (tel. 877/455-2307 or 970/349-5430; www.crestedbutteguides.com), which charges $260 for two riders for a 6-hour guided ride, not including bike rental.